For a good laugh...

[Muley]

and not meant to invoke pity

I occasionally visit this site to see what's happening in the world of Guzzis and with my buddies, both in a pen pal sense and the many I've met in person at rallies.  One thing always happens when I glance at WG postings, and that is the urge to ride.  I haven't so much as swung a leg over the EV since last fall, and I only started it once or twice since then , but our annual vacation to the NC mountains is coming up, and I wanted to do some neglected maintenance work this morning before it hit 100.

I had a bolt break off in the luggage rack of the EV, and my hard bag brackets mount under the rack with three, 8mm bolts holding everything together.  I had to order a 90 degree attachment for my drill to get it to fit under the luggage rack (which in hindsight would have been unnecessary if I'd have just removed the luggage rack to begin with), and it is a nice accessory made by Milwaukee, but, after getting it in the mail I noticed it only accepts bits with a 1/4 in. shank, of which I had zero.  So I ordered the bits to use with my new set of "easy outs" and conventional bits that wouldn't work to begin with.  Then I chickened out and decided not to try something that would probably end in failure if past experience was an indication.  However, I managed to drill a small hole through the bolt without leaving some of the bit to fill it    Again, I chickened out prior to breaking, uh, using the easy out so I just slathered everything with penetrating oil and went on to the next obstacle.

Both of my starter bolts had vibrated to the point that the thread was wallowed out and would no longer tighten.  In fact, one had worked its way forward about 1/2 in.  I thought it would be annoying if my starter fell off, so I ordered slightly longer bolts and locknuts.  Naturally, the locknuts wouldn't fit with some backyard machining.  Oh yes, they get really hot after a few minutes of grinding   After about two hours of manipulating the starter, starter cover, bolts and locknuts, I finally got everything back together and tight.   However, the chrome starter cover cannot be removed without either taking the two acorn nuts off and leaving the clip in place or sliding the starter back so it will clear the drop down TPS.  OK, I'll take the cover off the clip.  Nope, the replacement nut I put on when an acorn nut dropped off is spinning the screw underneath.  Take the starter bolts out again and move it back so the cover can be pried off.  Why?  Because when I ordered all my new stainless hardware for the luggage rack project I decided to get a  little acorn nut to match the sole survivor on the cover.

But, other than time and much sweating (it's really nasty here now) the starter and cover were in business.

Now, to chase the threads under the luggage rack for my new, ss bolts.  I've broken off many easy outs and drill bits but never a tap!    This one broke on the way out of the bolt hole.   It is too hard to drill out, even if the break was smooth and flat, which it certainly was not.  Now I have a broken bolt and a broken tap in two of the six mounting holes.  In a heat induced moment of insanity I almost cut the welded on and threaded part of the luggage rack off, planning to go to a welder and have another made, drilled and tapped.  But some ice water brought me back to my senses, and I took the luggage rack off the bike so I could look down on the mess rather than up.  After what seemed like a long time, I managed to work the broken tap out using a nail set and hammer with frequent spritzes of penetrating oil.

On to the broken bolt.   The easy out tightened, threatened to break off, I hesitated, then just went for broke and ..... it worked!   This was the first successful use of an easy out in my nearly 65 years of existence!

Now all I have to do is get another tap, fix the ruined threads on two of the six mounting holes, reinstall everything and hope the EV will start.

Yes, it wouldn't start after several attempts, and I have no idea what ails it.

BTW, does anyone know what the thing is behind the starter that has a wire running to it that looks exactly like the flywheel and cam sensors?


Errata, removing the luggage rack still wouldn't allow me to access the broken bolt in the single mounting hole on the frame.  I knew I wasn't that stupid

[Muzz]

Sorry,don't know what the "thing"is.

However, after a day like that I would say the a bit of  is in order!

[oldbike54]

 Dangit dangit dangit 

 Dusty

[Chuck in Indiana]

Words fail me, Muley.. but I'm glad to see you back. 
Maybe that thing behind the starter is the neutral indicator thingy?

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Oh, the perversity of inanimate objects.  Or, if it gets serious,
 YOU SIAMESE RATCHET HEADED AFTERBIRTH OF A MONGOLIAN CLUSTER PUCK.

[nc43bsa]

That sounds eerily similar to my adventure 2 weeks ago with my MilleGT.

It started out simple enough:  replace the rear tire of some dubious vintage with a much newer Avon.

I now have the swingarm hanging from the tool cart while the paint cures and both the rear wheel and drive box are COMPLETELY disassembled on the bench.  It seems the splines on the wheel and the ring gear flange were about half gone.  And the rim had a small wobble because of the 3 broken spokes.  After deciding to replace ALL of the spokes and beautify the wheel hub pieces, I proceeded to break 6 more spokes trying to unscrew the nipples.  The die grinder with a cutoff wheel took care of the rest.

Did I bring up the word "broken"?  It also seems that I broke a rib while wrestling with the ancient Dunlop.

Anyhoo, the required parts for the drive box came last Friday, the alloy parts have been soda blasted (not the rim, tho), my rib feels almost tolerable, and I should have the swingarm back together Monday afternoon.

I haven't had this much fun since the wild pigs ate my little brother.   

[tazio]

Muley, as one who has previously followed you, Wayne and others through the pea gravel strewn  twisties in the hills of Alabama(Cold butt ride approx 6yrs ago),
if your repair skills leave you wanting, they are MORE than made up for by your profound skills
piloting that guzzi !!!
 ~michael(was on the yellow 1100sporti)
p.s. Sure do enjoy your stories here..

[Sasquatch Jim]

  How do you break a rib changing a Dunlop?

[guzzisteve]

Well, glad to hear everything is normal down there. I was just telling JoAnn that I hadn't heard anything from you for awhile. Her & the kids are coming down for a triathlon this fall.
Need some help getting the bike going? Are you still working the job you got?

[chuck peterson]

So, everything is normal then?

[Lannis]

Muley -

Your fight with the EV (actually not a physical battle but a spiritual battle with the "atman" of Hubert Few still possessing your bike) strikes a chord with all of us.   Everyone has had a day like that with their bike but few can describe it as well ... !

And I find that there is hope for me and EZ Outs yet.   In 62 years I have NEVER successfully used an EZ Out.   So maybe if I can make it another couple years, it'll happen ... !

Lannis

[chuck peterson]

McMaster Carr has broken tap-extractors

[Penderic]

Darn! Some days nuthing goes right....... 



"Tower, we have a problem."

[Wayne Orwig]

You need a karma pig.

[oldbike54]

 Muley ,

 Had to drill a set of H&B bag mounts out on a buddy's '98 , actually had to drill the rear subframe on the bike and then weld in a new sleeve . Long ago , don't remember all of the details . Hmm , also seems to me the dooflicky in question behind the starter motor is the neutral indicator switch .

 Dusty

[Chuck in Indiana]

Muley -

Your fight with the EV (actually not a physical battle but a spiritual battle with the "atman" of Hubert Few still possessing your bike) strikes a chord with all of us.   Everyone has had a day like that with their bike but few can describe it as well ... !

And I find that there is hope for me and EZ Outs yet.   In 62 years I have NEVER successfully used an EZ Out.   So maybe if I can make it another couple years, it'll happen ... !

Lannis

Ohh, no wonder. I'd almost forgotten about Hubert Few..   

[Dean Rose]

Ohh, no wonder. I'd almost forgotten about Hubert Few..   

Yep, that's the bike. Hang in there Muley, at least you and WO got it to run.

Oh by the way Angus said Hi.

Dean

[Guzzidad]

    years ago I shared a few words of encouragement with Hubert Few and suggested a solution to make his bike happy. He never accepted my advice, and I don't really blame him. If I remember correctly, the Guzzi is a HD&M.  It seems a little far fetched. But, it worked for a friend of mine back in the 70's who had nothing but trouble with a red, white, and blue Norton he purchased new. This guy knew an awful lot about Nortons but he was at his wits end. He finally painted his bike black and his bike took on a whole new personality and ran like a typical Norton. Sure, a few problems here and there, but pretty dependable for a Norton of that era.

[LaMojo]

Speaking of:

[savagehenry]

SOMETIMES using a left cutting drill will screw them out, drill slower and it catches.

[Muley]

    years ago I shared a few words of encouragement with Hubert Few and suggested a solution to make his bike happy. He never accepted my advice, and I don't really blame him. If I remember correctly, the Guzzi is a HD&M.  It seems a little far fetched. But, it worked for a friend of mine back in the 70's who had nothing but trouble with a red, white, and blue Norton he purchased new. This guy knew an awful lot about Nortons but he was at his wits end. He finally painted his bike black and his bike took on a whole new personality and ran like a typical Norton. Sure, a few problems here and there, but pretty dependable for a Norton of that era.

Hubert took your advice, or started to.   When I bought the bike from him he had powdercoated the front fender, both chrome steering stem covers, and both of the chrome pieces near the footboards - yep- flat black   It didn't help him much since he had tweaked the TPS to the point of stripping the screws, loosening the connection the the 'puter and who knows what else.  WO found the problem and fixed it, and that was after the flat black paint was gone.  In fact, Hubert told me he was planning to powdercoat the entire bike.  I guess he figured he'd paint a piece black every time he had trouble

[Vagrant]

been there done that on my 98 and 2001. when your ready to reinstall it you will see the problem if you look. the rack is welded on a jig made on Monday to the frame made on Thursday. put in 2 bolts that snug things up then use washers to fill in the up to 1/4" gap on the others. if they tightened down all the bolts when new it was highly sprung!